


In a Mortal Instant

by reikis



Series: Melody of the Reminiscing Star [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Depression, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 23:37:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21400525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reikis/pseuds/reikis
Summary: A dance to bear their future on.
Series: Melody of the Reminiscing Star [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540690
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	In a Mortal Instant

Elidibus teleported into the room and was hit by the scent of alcohol. He wrinkled his nose and found the Architect at the piano, running his hands down the keys in practiced rhythm. He was bare-chested – ignoring a few bandages and gauze, freshly reapplied – and reeked of many different fine wines. His movements were concentrated but whimsical and lazy all the same.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned to stare at Elidibus with a small smile over his features.

He hadn’t quite quit his old habits since that day given the newer scars Elidibus noticed, but it was clear to the Emissary he was improving slowly. He knew it would possibly take hundreds of years to undo the damage he inflicted upon himself mentally. But Elidibus was thankful that, through how much he tried to help, he _was_ improving.

When he met his dull eyes, he felt the violet he knew so well surface. Elidibus learned quickly that he was most comfortable around him, letting his vibrant soul resurface in these brief moments before they returned to their respective duties.

And he snapped, his soul briefly igniting in fervor.

Music erupted into the room once more with Hades standing from the piano bench and waltzing over to Elidibus. He stood before the Emissary, staring down at his fellow, and took his hands into his own.

They were trembling.

“Shall we dance?” It wasn’t really a question.

Despite his physical state, the Architect took concise, practiced steps to the side as he guided Elidibus along. He matched the slow pace of the music playing with low eyes as he turned in a circle with the Emissary.

“I did not take you for much of a dancer,” Hades dryly commented. Elidibus’s matching movements – keeping easily with the Architect’s rhythm – had not gone unnoticed. He took a wide step to the side as if to throw him off, but he matched perfectly alongside him.

“You act as if you paid much mind to those that did not latch themselves to you,” the Emissary retorted, a paired set of hands rising into the air together and the other off to the side. He carefully watched Hades lower his brows, as if he were offended by the call-out.

“I suppose so,” he muttered, spinning with Elidibus suddenly. “Feet to match hands.”

Elidibus could not keep his gaze off his distant eyes, his line of sight failing to meet his own. He inwardly sighed as Hades distanced himself, a pair of hands’ grips breaking, and held him at the end of his extended arm. He raised a hand into the air and gave another snap.

The Emissary now gave an outward, disgruntled sigh. His Convocation robes had been replaced by a simple white robe, the Architect graciously keeping the hood up over his mask in his action.

Hades brought him close and rested a hand over his shoulder, calmly stepping side to side as the song slowed.

“As to not worry about that pesky metal,” he remarked, grinning when he felt Elidibus roll his eyes beneath that red mask.

“Simply because you dislike it does not mean I-”

Elidibus was cut off by the Architect raising their still-joined hands and span him before bringing him into his grasp, still smiling.

“How much have you consumed?”

“Good question,” Hades said with a tilt of the head.

He blinked when Elidibus took the initiative, tightening his grasp over his hands, and gave a spin himself. He wrinkled his nose, the alcohol practically burning off Hades’s form.

“Disgusting,” Elidibus teased but his voice was low. “Have you no better coping mechanisms?”

“What a _stupid_ question.”

There was a bitterness to Hades’s tone that made Elidibus regret his choice of words. He bit back his pride and continued to guide Hades through the dance in a long silence.

“My apologies,” he finally let out, turning with the Architect.

“Tis natural, changing is difficult,” Hades glanced away. He was suddenly thankful the Emissary had taken the lead, his legs shaky. Elidibus must have noticed it too because his grip over him tightened to assure him of his position.

He led him through multiple concentrated spins around the piano, robe drifting at his sides alongside the movements, before leading Hades backward with a glance out the slightly parted curtains and to the night sky. He leaned down, feeling the taller man’s aether stir a bit.

Ah, the life it had begun to shine with was beautiful.

“Such a bore normally,” Hades commented as Elidibus quickened his pace with more spins and stretching a pair of their arms out, “but so quick to entertain me now.”

“Is what you consider a bore an effective worker?” Elidibus grumbled.

“Perhaps one too engrossed in his work!” Hades raised his brows as Elidibus surprised him by lowering him to the ground before throwing him off in a delicate, concentrated move. He spun his head as he readjusted and the Emissary was on him quickly, hands back in his and their chests meeting.

“I suppose one such as yourself would prefer this attention to detail,” he declared with a small smirk of his own.

“Far more interesting,” Hades let out, lungs practically caught in his throat.

Elidibus took great pace as he returned to their normal steps. He moved one hand to hold it at Hades’s hip, the other’s now free hand coming to his shoulder. They eventually slowed, the Emissary letting the Architect catch his breath. It was clear this vessel had become unused to the strenuous strides of this particular dance. He was breathing heavily, lithe form quivering. His gaze drifted to the long scars along his upper body, over the pointed muscles. Perhaps he should have taken greater care, full-well knowing the state of this vessel.

But he had been so desperate to hear him and watch him move with such trained elegance. He was still normally so quiet whenever they were together, opting to keep to his own thoughts. He had been like that in Amaurot but he was never this bad. He seemed afraid and it was clear the dance truly loosened him emotionally.

“What do you think, Emissary?” Hades asked out of the blue. He leaned against Elidibus as he guided him along. “Could I, as some would eloquently phrase it to me, be repaired someday?”

Elidibus gave pause, considering his words.

“Only if you will it, Hades.”

That’s how those two would phrase it, he thinks. He knew just from watching them. He was always teased and picked on by them, but it came from a good place for they were also masters of encouragement.

“I know not,” he said quietly. “I feel, after so long...”

“It took you hundreds of years to reach this point,” Elidibus calmly interrupted, “perhaps it will take more to recover. That period means nothing to us, lest you forget.” His grip tightened as his pace fastened. “I reiterate: Only if you will it.”

“If you say so,” Hades whispered. He heaved in as Elidibus turned and turned, simply an accessory to the Emissary’s dance. He grabbed his other hand from where it rested over him and gave a quick spin. He frowned heavily, staring up to the Architect. Zodiark, why did he choose such tall vessels?

He glanced outside as snow drifted down. It was endless in this cold land. He smiled softly as he felt Hades’s aether mingle with his to the rhythm of the music and dance. It was soothing. Despite the instability to his dim aether, he felt that violet rage next to him. Yes, it would take a long time but he knew his fracturing soul could be mended someday.

In this instant, he felt truly alive. He had not felt this way since those long-lost halcyon days.

Elidibus finished with one leg stretched and the other bent, lowering Hades just above the ground, arms wrapped around him. He could hear Hades’s breathing and feel him beneath his grasp. It was heavy and absolutely tainted with the smell of wine, not that it was a terrible smell. The Architect was a master with wines, an impeccable taste in them.

What the Emissary didn’t expect was him to reach his arms behind his hood to find grip and raise himself higher in his grasp. He nudged his mask askew just a bit and their lips met in longing embrace. He humored the Architect and reached a hand behind his head, clawed fingers intertwining themselves in his dark hair.

After what seemed to be the longest moment of his lengthy life, Hades himself pulled back and brought in labored breaths. He had not noticed Elidibus guiding the both of them to their knees at the center of the room. His body felt weaker but all the more thankful. He arched his back so he leaned below Elidibus’s eye level and wiped a tear out of his eye. He glanced back up, feeling the Emissary’s gaze beneath his mask.

The Architect’s eyes glimmered brilliantly in that moment before he dropped his head into the nape of Elidibus’s neck, his arms resting loosely around the Emissary’s hips.

“My thanks for humoring this broken fool,” Hades meekly uttered. Elidibus felt him shaking, clearly fighting back further tears.

Elidibus merely looked away and reached his arms around Hades, holding him.

“...s, thank you,” Hades whispered into his robe. His voice was rife with the eons of suffering and heartbreak. It felt as shattered as its owner, a tired, exhausted Architect of a long-gone – and long-sought – world.

Elidibus closed his eyes and tightened his grip.

He decided he would give anything on this forsaken star for this man’s happiness.


End file.
